New Leaf Conciergehttps://newleafconcierge.com
If not now, when?Mon, 05 Feb 2018 19:49:03 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.6.1https://newleafconcierge.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/cropped-New-leaf-icon-32x32.pngNew Leaf Conciergehttps://newleafconcierge.com
3232NewLeafConciergeBloghttps://feedburner.google.comHow to be Bored – Craving Contrasthttps://newleafconcierge.com/uncategorized/bored-craving-contrast/
https://newleafconcierge.com/uncategorized/bored-craving-contrast/#respondMon, 23 Jan 2017 21:04:37 +0000https://newleafconcierge.com/?p=3018The other day my teenage Son asked me if I ever got lonely on the weekends when he and his sister were with their Dad, out of town at a cabin southeast of Dallas. I felt a a bit sheepish admitting, although only to my inner self, that I looked forward to that time to

The other day my teenage Son asked me if I ever got lonely on the weekends when he and his sister were with their Dad, out of town at a cabin southeast of Dallas. I felt a a bit sheepish admitting, although only to my inner self, that I looked forward to that time to accomplish projects that “nourished my soul”, as corny as that sounds. In fact, I believe that the time I spend on gardening, walking, painting, cooking, listening to music, etc., creates a healthy contrast to the work I do during the week, either working in or on my small business. Given this, I was especially interested to hear an interview of author Eva Hoffman talking about her new book entitled “How to be Bored“. She argues that purposefully setting aside time for “unplugged idleness” helps us to replenish our inner resources. And when we take time to do this, we recover a sense of balance and purpose so that we can then go out again into a world of uninterrupted activity and competing demands for our attention and time. I marveled when she observed that even Winston Churchill set aside time to paint in the midst of during WWII. It helped him to think about the progress of the war prior to heading back into the Cabinet War Room. In fact Churchill painted over 500 paintings in his lifetime.

]]>https://newleafconcierge.com/uncategorized/bored-craving-contrast/feed/0TIP: 55+ Plan to “Thrive in Place (TIP)” NOT ” Age in Place!https://newleafconcierge.com/aging/tip-55-plan-thrive-place-tip-not-age-place/
https://newleafconcierge.com/aging/tip-55-plan-thrive-place-tip-not-age-place/#respondTue, 10 Jan 2017 21:48:22 +0000https://newleafconcierge.com/?p=3013When do we officially become “old”? When we retire? turn 55? Well I’m turning 55 this year and I certainly don’t feel “old” (thanks to plenty of hot yoga!)…and neither do my peers. But like many forward thinking friends, I have started to put my aging plan in place – financials, housing, health care…all the

When do we officially become “old”? When we retire? turn 55? Well I’m turning 55 this year and I certainly don’t feel “old” (thanks to plenty of hot yoga!)…and neither do my peers. But like many forward thinking friends, I have started to put my aging plan in place – financials, housing, health care…all the big stuff. And since my business – New Leaf Concierge – helps the elderly make the difficult transition to a higher levels of care, I was very interested to see the publication of the 2016 Aging in Place Report written by Marianne Cusato, HomeAdvisor’s Housing expert. The 55+ population does not want to “age in place”, but rather to “Thrive in Place”! According to the U.S. Census Bureau, an individual born in 1960 has an average life expectancy of 85.63! So the 55+ crowd has some time to enjoy their homes as they get older. They plan to stay in their homes longer because they are conveniently located, feel independent, are close to family, love their neighborhoods and feel safe in their homes.It also means some re-thinking of home renovations: for kitchen remodels, think sliding drawers, not cabinets, for easier access to pots and pans; also think a side by side opening refrigerators, which are easier to open if you’re recovering from hip or knee surgery. Check out the full report at www.homeadvisor.com/r/2016-aging-in-place-report.

]]>https://newleafconcierge.com/aging/tip-55-plan-thrive-place-tip-not-age-place/feed/0Frisco,Tx – “Multigenerational Communities” Awesome for Families!https://newleafconcierge.com/aging/friscotx-multigenerational-communities-awesome-families/
https://newleafconcierge.com/aging/friscotx-multigenerational-communities-awesome-families/#respondWed, 21 Dec 2016 21:08:55 +0000https://newleafconcierge.com/?p=3005One of the reasons why I have come to truly appreciate Texas, and Dallas’ enviable place in it in particular, is its ample space and land to grow. This space allows new communities surrounding Dallas to “get it right”, as they plan their evolution. What I was so thrilled to see recently was Frisco’s “multigenerational

One of the reasons why I have come to truly appreciate Texas, and Dallas’ enviable place in it in particular, is its ample space and land to grow. This space allows new communities surrounding Dallas to “get it right”, as they plan their evolution. What I was so thrilled to see recently was Frisco’s “multigenerational community” concept coming to fruition in the new 152-acre Canals at Grand Park. Here you can find homes, townhomes, apartments and senior independent and assisted living all in the same pedestrian-friendly, beautifully manicured development. It is an innovative partnership between private home builders and a senior living company. They “Get It” Families with an aging parent whose physical and/or mental health is in decline…why not have them closeby the rest of the family and not isolated in a mega campus of senior living multi-story buildings? And given the number of “Sold” signs sprinkled around the many yet to be completed building sites, looks like Dallas families are grateful to have finally found a solution to their family’s aging needs. The homesites are perfect for families in full swing of raising young families, the town homes are perfect for downsided empty nesters and the apartments are great for the millennials or even those in mid-life who find themselves alone after a divorce or the loss of a partner. With well-known brand shops and vibrant nightlife nearby, what a great city they are building! What a breath of fresh air I say, with a sigh of relief!

]]>https://newleafconcierge.com/aging/friscotx-multigenerational-communities-awesome-families/feed/0Downsizing and Estate Sales – via online auctions – Smarter, Faster, More Affordablehttps://newleafconcierge.com/downsizing/downsizing-estate-sales-via-online-auctions-smarter-faster-affordable/
https://newleafconcierge.com/downsizing/downsizing-estate-sales-via-online-auctions-smarter-faster-affordable/#respondThu, 03 Nov 2016 19:22:04 +0000https://newleafconcierge.com/?p=2985New Leaf is very busy helping Dallas’ “sandwich generation” and their elderly parents be on the move! We have been helping families to downsize or clear out properties through online estate sales via the MaxSold – www.maxsold.com – auction portal. Using an App on our iPhone, New Leaf can digitally catalogue and photograph all items

New Leaf is very busy helping Dallas’ “sandwich generation” and their elderly parents be on the move! We have been helping families to downsize or clear out properties through online estate sales via the MaxSold – www.maxsold.com – auction portal. Using an App on our iPhone, New Leaf can digitally catalogue and photograph all items for sale, submit the digital catalog wirelessly to the Maxsold portal, and then watch as the general public bids on items. This method is far superior to traditional downsizing (think garage sale or estate sale) methods, because it is:
– Safer – Buyers pay online so no monies are exchanged in person. Buyers must present ID when they show up at Pickup Time, so only known Buyers – not hordes of people – are coming to the home to collect purchased items.

– More Affordable – A “seller – managed” MaxSold auction is cost-effective, in that it involves only the cost of setting up the auction lots and cataloging and photographing them – often where they sit in the home – and then the very reasonable flat fee to utilize the MaxSold auction engine. Since the auction is promoted via social media, it generates competitive bidding amongst a wider online audience, it can thereby yield a greater sum of money for the Seller.

Faster – Unlike traditional methods, an online auction does take not days of people tramping through the home – difficult for the elderly to endure, and hard on a property! The online auction method is more time efficient and less disruptive. At the end of the auction “in the cloud”, Buyers have a brief 3 hour pickup window in which to collect their purchases, big or small. The Seller does not need to arrange any packing or delivery!

]]>https://newleafconcierge.com/downsizing/downsizing-estate-sales-via-online-auctions-smarter-faster-affordable/feed/0Marie Kondo – I need that stuff that doesn’t “spark joy”!https://newleafconcierge.com/organizing/marie-kondo-need-stuff-doesnt-spark-joy/
https://newleafconcierge.com/organizing/marie-kondo-need-stuff-doesnt-spark-joy/#respondMon, 08 Aug 2016 22:48:57 +0000https://newleafconcierge.com/?p=2977Dear Marie Kondo – I’m happy for you if you can afford to purge all those things in your life that don’t “spark joy”. But as far as my life goes, I NEED many of those things that don’t spark joy – for instance, my 15+ year old pool Polaris that has been re-built more

Dear Marie Kondo – I’m happy for you if you can afford to purge all those things in your life that don’t “spark joy”. But as far as my life goes, I NEED many of those things that don’t spark joy – for instance, my 15+ year old pool Polaris that has been re-built more times than I can count by Leslie’s pool guys, or my 20+ year old top oven whose upper element doesn’t heat…top oven can function as a warmer for dinner parties. Now mind you I do regularly sell online those items in my life that have value – not for me anymore – but hopefully for someone else. I agree that as our life evolves, we need to make space for those items that will help us be better versions of our past selves. As I age, I find I am less interested in “stuff” or “things” anyway, but rather a better, fun way to connect with friends and family – a dinner of great food, a good theater show, a bike ride early in the morning, or a stroll around the park. Just the simple “things”!

]]>https://newleafconcierge.com/organizing/marie-kondo-need-stuff-doesnt-spark-joy/feed/0Work, Family, Health, Friends…Something has to Give…https://newleafconcierge.com/life-balance/work-family-health-friends-something-give/
https://newleafconcierge.com/life-balance/work-family-health-friends-something-give/#respondFri, 27 May 2016 19:47:02 +0000https://newleafconcierge.com/?p=2959You want more results from your hard work – a healthy business and more time for yourself, your family, and your friends. Now you can have more by focusing on The ONE Thing. A successful client handed me this book by Gary Keller last week, and I’ve been on an inner journey ever since. As my

You want more results from your hard work – a healthy business and more time for yourself, your family, and your friends. Now you can have more by focusing on The ONE Thing. A successful client handed me this book by Gary Keller last week, and I’ve been on an inner journey ever since. As my business grows, I have been evaluating the beliefs I hold and how they affect the choices I make, as I consider HOW to grow. As I prepare my daily “To Do” lists, I have been contemplating the success myths:1. Everything matters Equally 2.Mulitasking 3. A Disciplined Life 4.Willpower is Always on Will-Call 5. A Balanced Life 6.Big is Bad. Following these myths can lead us down an overwhelming path away from our goal. With advice from this book I think I’ll be able to more easily FOCUS on the ONE thing, by ironically going small. “Going Small” is ignoring all the things you could do and doing what you should do.When you go as small as possible, you’ll be staring at one thing…and that’s the point! Keep asking yourself what matters most, until there is only one thing left. That core activity goes to the top of your list. Check out The One Thing, I think you too will do some re-evaluating!

]]>https://newleafconcierge.com/life-balance/work-family-health-friends-something-give/feed/0Organizing to be ready for the next hail stormhttps://newleafconcierge.com/organizing/2928/
https://newleafconcierge.com/organizing/2928/#commentsThu, 19 May 2016 23:55:51 +0000https://newleafconcierge.com/?p=2928My neighbors in Richardson were not ready for hail. Their garage needed to be organized and decluttered to fit their car – but who has time for that as the storm sirens wail?. Instead they tried this solution and provided a few smiles for the neighbors! According to a May 2016 National Insurance Crime Bureau

My neighbors in Richardson were not ready for hail. Their garage needed to be organized and decluttered to fit their car – but who has time for that as the storm sirens wail?. Instead they tried this solution and provided a few smiles for the neighbors! According to a May 2016 National Insurance Crime Bureau report, Texas was the top state in hail loss claims from 2013 through 2015 with 394,572 hail claims.

https://nicb.org/newsroom/news-releases/hail-damage-claims-in-the-us

New Leaf has been helping many families in the Dallas metroplex to prepare for the next storm by finding organized solutions for their properties, especially their garages. Keep your insurance rates low and your car safe by calling New Leaf to organize for you.

]]>https://newleafconcierge.com/organizing/2928/feed/2Agree on a Transition Plan for your Elderly Parent with your siblingshttps://newleafconcierge.com/aging/agree-on-a-transition-plan-for-your-elderly-parent-with-your-siblings/
https://newleafconcierge.com/aging/agree-on-a-transition-plan-for-your-elderly-parent-with-your-siblings/#respondMon, 02 May 2016 18:55:36 +0000https://newleafconcierge.com/?p=2909I was so lucky. Before my father’s mind succumbed to dementia, he had the foresight to meet with his long-time family attorney, to outline his last wishes. He shared those wishes with me and my siblings one holiday Sunday afternoon at the dining room table…his wishes for the family home, the cottage, his caregiver, his church,

I was so lucky. Before my father’s mind succumbed to dementia, he had the foresight to meet with his long-time family attorney, to outline his last wishes.

Agree on a Transition Plan for your Elderly Parent

He shared those wishes with me and my siblings one holiday Sunday afternoon at the dining room table…his wishes for the family home, the cottage, his caregiver, his church, and his ultimate medical care. The adult siblings had a chance to voice their opinions that afternoon, but in the end what my father had wished came to fruition with very little friction between us. Thanks to my father’s planning, every other summer, my siblings and I travel from various points on the globe to the rambling old cottage on the shores of Lake Huron in rural southwestern Ontario and share barbecues, twilight beach bonfires, heaping plates of steaming corn on the cob, and the latest goings on in our lives. We get along and enjoy each other’s company. And our children share the love of diving into ‘whippy’ waves, collecting beach glass, skipping stones on calm evenings and watching sunsets while devouring ‘smores. Each summer I quietly thank my father for his hard work and careful planning and my siblings for their level headedness and generosity of spirit.

My advice: encourage your elderly parent to set up their legacy sooner rather than later. Ideally with an elder law attorney. Enlist the help of your siblings. For the sake of your parents, yourselves and your children.

]]>https://newleafconcierge.com/latest-posts/nextscripts-auto-poster/feed/0Are you an ageist?https://newleafconcierge.com/aging/are-you-an-ageist-2/
https://newleafconcierge.com/aging/are-you-an-ageist-2/#respondThu, 24 Mar 2016 20:51:16 +0000https://newleafconcierge.com/?p=2876Recently a slightly younger friend of mine turned 50. I was surprised to see all the negative messages about aging in the cards and gifts given. What debbie downers! I was puzzled by this since, frankly, I am happier and healthier than ever in my “over the hill” state. That’s why I was pleased to

Recently a slightly younger friend of mine turned 50. I was surprised to see all the negative messages about aging in the cards and gifts given. What debbie downers! I was puzzled by this since, frankly, I am happier and healthier than ever in my “over the hill” state. That’s why I was pleased to read about the recently published book “Disrupt Aging” by Jo Ann Jenkins, where she challenges our ageist culture and notes she is finding a groundswell of “over the hillers” advocating for positive, powerful, productive perspectives on aging – ones that are easily found in elders in our own neighborhoods. These elders are leaders in our communities, fighting fit, giving back, and mentoring those around them. They are an inspiration to us all!